I fished the Methow near Winthrop yesterday. This was the first time in 7 years I made the drive over the hill to do so. Saw several spawning Chinook (good to see this) but no steelhead that far upriver. It was very low water as well, although the water temperature was good. Lots of October caddis around too and some normal sized (10 to 16 inch) resident cutthroats were picking some of them off.

Lots of hunters there at this time of year, very few fishermen. Probably has to do with the time it takes to get there and the relative lack of easily seen river access. It is a very wadable river that is simply beautiful. It seems to have been made for floating line work.

Go now because after the snows fly and the north Cascades route is closed for the winter, it is a very long (as if it is not now) drive by way of Hwy 2 to Wenachee, then north to Winthrop from there. Making the trip about 5 1/2 or 6 hours out of Seattle or Everett. Over the north route, it is still 3 hours from Mount Vernon over the hill to Winthrop, not quite 4 hours out of Everett.